ANBU training
by ViTaL-4-SRvIIvAL
Summary: important bits: Sasuke's back, Itachi isn't dead, the village is low on man-power. A decision is made to begin training the ninja squads as ANBU and see who makes it. Expect sasu/hina, naru/hina, violence, language and emo crap. low on smut unfortunately.


**ANBU training**.

**Prologue I suppose:**

The trainer regarded the files before him with a masterful mixture of distain and boredom. He flipped open a folder, and raised an arched brow at the information, flitting through it swiftly and tossing it aside. He opened another, and another, scanning each with such pointed weariness that the one looking upon his very conspicuous displays of displeasure growled out her intolerance and huffed.

"Could we skip the dramatics, please? It doesn't matter a bit whether you like it or not. You're the best qualified ninja at my disposal, and God knows we need these kids to get the real deal."

"You're really serious about this?"

He drew back on his heels and regarded the ceiling. "Why the rush? We have an ANBU task force. None of these kids have asked for ANBU qualification. Most of them are still Chunin."

The woman threw back her head an angry tilt to her eyes accentuating her current frustration. "I've been advised to try some new tactics. Under our present situation – a village is vulnerable, our forces barely staggering on to cover the lack of man-power – extending training seems a plan worth pursuing."

The man drew a hand through his silver hair and regarded the pile once more. Then he heaved a great sigh. "This isn't going to be much fun."

The Lady shrugged, neither caring for nor disagreeing with his statement. "It'll be pretty interesting what you do with them. I expect a full progress report on my desk every week, Kakashi."

The man winced. "Every week?"

She waved a hand, itching for this conversation to be over. There were more pressing matters she had to handle by the days end. She wanted to be through with them early enough to enjoy a last parting swig of sake to top off her evening. Lately, she'd been passing up a good drunken black-out for a face-to-desk, almost-drowning-in-her-own-drool kind of naps.

"I don't care how you get it in. I just want to be aware of what you're doing to these kids. I don't need it engraved in stone – just get me something legible that I can pin you to."

"Pin me to?"

She ignored the question. "I want their progress and your opinion on their character and skills. I haven't decided on how long the trial period will last…"

Kakashi's eyebrows knit together. There was a trial period?

The Lady pushed her chair back and gathered the files on her desk and tapped them smartly into order. "We'll weed out the ones who are unsuited, and the ones who truly aren't fit for this position, but exposure now may sway their decisions, and if nothing else, strengthen our forces."

She pushed the files once again into his hands and plopped back down in her seat.

"I suppose you expect me to track them down and break the news to them myself?"

Tsunade smiled. "I would have. Just to give you hell. But time is of the essence. They've been informed. All you have to do is show up." She hit him with a stern look. "Preferably on time."

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders noncommittally and hit her with a charmingly innocent tilt of his head. "Of course, Lady Hokage."

He disappeared, leaving her alone in her office. She arched her back, making her chair tilt back dangerously and groaned. Damn if she wasn't always tired these days. She propped her legs up on her desk, carelessly dumping a stack of papers on the floor. She reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle, took a swig, and replaced it.

There was barely enough time for her to enjoy the after burn when another body appeared in her chamber, bringing in with him an air of coldness that was unnervingly familiar and exceedingly annoying.

For a moment she ignored his presence, breathing in and trying to cling to the last vestiges of contentment. He hovered before her like the harbinger of death, dark and sinister, full of a raging stillness. His dark hair was like a messy inkblot against the background of the world, his eyes were dark and unfathomable. She stared into them now, feeling their soullessness.

_Another lost, angry soul,_ she thought bitterly, hating the world anew, hating her former comrade. Her eyes flicked away from his, and she took another breath, composing herself.

The boy continued to watch her.

She sat up straighter and stared into his face again. "Sasuke. Take a seat, won't you."

He didn't, but she expected that and ignored his refusal. "I expect that you've come to realize your circumstances. It isn't easy to break back in once you've broken your way out. But I suppose you know that our distrust is fully customary given your… goals."

He said nothing. It annoyed her slightly and she wondered briefly whether he would make a sound against her. She wouldn't be surprised if he was buzzing through their conversation, waiting for her to shut up.

"I'm giving you a shot. A long shot, some are saying – but a rope is a rope. Weather you choose to mend the severed ties is your decision, and no one will force you. But you are still perceived, if only for a bit longer, as a Konoha son."

"Your return…" the Lady sighed. "has inspired the hope that you are still… loyal to your village."

The dark boy before her made no sound, neither a confirmation nor a denial. She tolerated his silence, knowing there was no use in pushing him. It would either lead to a lie or something she wasn't willing to hear at this point.

The silence between them burned.

"Your brother isn't dead."

Nothing.

"It's a shaky decision – the one to let you stay. It's not over is it? It'll never be over. No matter what Naruto or Sakura want…"

"I've seen…"

She stopped. Leaned back, switched faster than a blink. Now was not the time for some sappy recollection, some attempt to reach his hardened heart. It wasn't her place, nor did she wish to waste either of their time.

Pointless.

"Report to your assigned post. Participation is expected."

He nodded. "Yes. Lady Hokage."

_Surprise, surprise._ She thought sardonically. His vocal chords did indeed function. That voice wasn't raspy or small, it didn't break or sound unused. Just quiet. He departed quickly and she felt better for it. That boy would be an endless cause of grief. Sad, sad, sad.

Putting it out of her mind for now, she retrieved her bottle and prepared for the shit-load of paperwork she would have to plow through in the next few hours. _Fun, fun, fun._

* * *

Somewhere in the village, at least a dozen sets of eyes were scanning through a scroll, taking in the details of their assignments and furrowing their eyebrows.

At least a few met the news with more than a little trepidation, namely two – one who was in the library amidst scrolls and scrolls of musty medical scrolls and another whose fathers' eyes she met reluctantly over the top of her scroll.

* * *

**I have to admit something here and now – I know absolutely nothing about the qualifications for ANBU status. I don't know what kind of tests you have to pass, skills you need to learn, or the people you've gotta fuck. I'm really just gonna wing it. If that isn't good enough for you then change is just a review away. I also have to warn you about something else – don't expect anything too racy for a while. I'm the kinda gal that has to warm up to that stuff. So tough it out. **

**I fully expect a little heat, although whether I can deliver is unreliable. I've only done one pairing-flick (which was lost in the dark abyss of the internet because I didn't think to back it up and now its gone forever… but that's neither here nor there) and that never got really heavy. I'm aiming for some sasu-hina, because that's just the way I want it… Unless I change my mind. (My partiality can be… swayed - *wink,wink*)**

**I'll try not to angst it up. I know I'll fail, but I'm just saying I'm gonna try. **

**The story I lost was South Park (Cold as hell) by the way… Not that any of you care. But I'd like recognition nonetheless. Even if it wasn't that good. **


End file.
